A gardener is fighting for his life after a massive tree fell and crushed him as he mowed a golf course on a ride-on lawnmower.

The man in his 40s suffered potentially life-changing injuries in the freak accident which was believed to be caused by a strong gust of wind.

Firefighters managed to free him and he was airlifted to hospital after the tree crashed down onto the fairway, pinning him down and causing severe injuries.

The golf course was closed until further notice a result of the incident and the man's relatives were being contacted to break news of his accident.

Paramedics and firefighters were called to Dibden Golf Centre in Southampton at 12.07pm and My Time Active, the firm which contracted workers at the golf course confirmed one of their members of staff had been injured.

The tree crashed down onto the fairway, pinning him down and causing severe injuries (Image: @SCAS999/Twitter)

The golf course was closed until further notice a result of the incident and the man's relatives were being contacted to break news of his accident (Image: @SCAS999/Twitter)

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A spokesman for the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called at 12.10pm and there was one casualty, a man trapped on a ride-on lawnmower under a fallen tree.

"We sent three crews to the scene and later handed over to South Central Ambulance Service."

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said: "At lunchtime one of our ambulance crews, our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Critical Care Car and Air Ambulance all went to Dibden Golf Centre after a large tree fell on a male in his 40s, leaving him with potentially life-threatening injuries.

"Excellent joint working between all the emergency services at the scene ensured he was recovered from underneath the tree, treated extensively at the scene before being transferred by road to the major trauma centre at University Hospital Southampton."

My Time Active, the firm which contracted workers at the golf course confirmed one of their members of staff had been injured (Image: @SCAS999/Twitter)